Luke Jermay: Sixth Sense
Luke Jermay is a master of his art. Apart from having one of the most ingenious minds in mentalism, he has created a persona so shot through with incongruities as to throw any audience off balance and leave them susceptible to belief in the paranormal. The disorientating contradiction between his semi-Victorian style of dress and his abundant tattoos, between his declamatory style of speech and his Essex accent, induces a level of cognitive dissonance before anything even happens.
While Luke never explicitly states he’s psychic or clairvoyant, it’s clearly understood that this is the only explanation for the events that take place. Fleeting allusions to mental instability subtly reinforce the impression of someone with supernatural powers. The authoritative stage presence is friendly and unthreatening, unflappable and in control, and the glimpses of perceived vulnerability only increase the fascination of this character. The meticulous attention to detail throughout the show generates an atmosphere to confound the cynics and to give the whole audience a thoroughly entertaining experience, whatever their preconceptions.
Putting aside the psychological and emotional pull to buy into Luke’s implied version of the truth, I was at a loss to imagine how else he could do what he did. Luke is a magician and I have attended his lectures. Yet, even after learning all sorts of clever principles from him, I still couldn’t begin to guess what was really going on during this show.
Sixth Sense is touring till the end of March and with luck more dates will be added later in the year. Find out more on Luke’s website – then book your tickets before they sell out.
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